September 26, 2026

Before You Donate: How to Avoid Charity Scams

Abbey Butte

When a disaster or emergency affects a community, many people look for ways to help. Scammers may take advantage of that generosity by creating fake charities or impersonating trusted organizations.

With September marking the peak of Atlantic hurricane season, now is a good time to check donation requests carefully before giving. Whether you are supporting hurricane recovery, a local fundraiser or another cause, take a few minutes to confirm who is collecting the money before you donate.

How Fake Charity Scams Work

Scammers may contact you by phone, email, text message or social media. They may also create fake websites or crowdfunding pages using emotional stories, familiar logos or names that sound like real charities.

These requests often appear soon after a disaster, when people are eager to help. A scammer may pressure you to donate before you have time to research the organization.

Example of the Scam

After seeing news coverage of a major storm, Maria notices a social media post asking for donations to help affected families. A friend shared the post, and the organization’s name sounds familiar.

Before donating, Maria visits the charity’s official website. She discovers that the charity is not connected to the fundraiser and that the donation would have gone to an individual’s payment account.

Even when someone you know shares a request, confirm who is collecting the money before donating.

Warning Signs of a Fake Charity

Be cautious if:

The organization’s name closely resembles a well-known charity.
The fundraiser pressures you to donate immediately.
You receive vague answers about who will receive the money or how it will be used.
You are told to send the donation to an individual instead of an organization.
The fundraiser insists on payment by cash, gift card, cryptocurrency or wire transfer.
A crowdfunding page does not clearly identify its organizer or beneficiary.

Before You Donate, Take These Steps

Go directly to the charity. Visit the organization’s official website instead of donating through an unexpected message or social media link.
Confirm the fundraising campaign. Make sure the charity is collecting money for the event or cause mentioned in the request.
Research the organization. Use resources such as Give.org or CharityWatch to learn more about the charity.
Check its tax-exempt status. Use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to determine whether the organization is eligible to receive tax-deductible donations.
Review the payment details. Confirm the amount, recipient and whether the donation will repeat automatically.
Keep your receipt. Save a record of the donation and check your account to make sure the charge is correct.

If you are unsure about a donation request, it is OK to pause. A legitimate organization will give you time to research before donating.

If You Paid a Fake Charity

Act as soon as possible.

Ask whether the payment can be stopped or reversed. If you paid by check or provided your full TVFCU account number for an automatic debit, contact TVFCU’s Fraud Department. If you used a TVFCU debit card, contact Visa.
Review your accounts. Look for transactions you do not recognize.
Save the details. Keep the message, receipt, website address and other information about the request.
Report the scam. File a report through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Stay Protected With TVFCU

If you shared account information with a scammer or notice unusual activity, contact TVFCU as soon as possible. Our team can help review your account and guide you through the next steps.

You can also use YOUR$ Digital Banking to monitor account activity and stay informed with account alerts and digital banking tools.

For more information on recognizing and avoiding fraud, explore our Security Resources.